Russia May Ban Beauty and the Beast Over Gay Content

Russia may ban Beauty and the Beast over the film’s much-teased, meekly delivered gay content. The country, which is notoriously hostile to LGBTQ rights, has a law that prohibits the spreading of “gay propaganda” among minors. According to the BBC, several Russian government officials are pushing for the banning of Beauty and the Beast on the grounds that it violates the law in question. One such official and major proponent of the 2013 law, MP Vitaly Milonov, condemned the film’s “shameless propaganda of sin” in a letter revealed publicly on Saturday. Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky has not made a decision, but has announced his intention to screen the film for such content before its release. “As soon as we get a copy of the film with relevant paperwork for distribution, we will consider it according to the law,” he said.